Community helps fulfill teachers’ wish lists

Residents of Mendon Community Schools have a history of showing a deep level of support not limited to just its athletics teams.They have a chance to, once again, come to the aid of Mendon’s students by answering a wish list compiled by teachers at the district’s two school buildings.

Residents of Mendon Community Schools have a history of showing a deep level of support not limited to just its athletics teams.

They have a chance to, once again, come to the aid of Mendon’s students by answering a wish list compiled by teachers at the district’s two school buildings.

The deadline to fulfill a request for the 2012-13 academic year is Dec. 31.

“It started with what we called mini-grants back in the mid ‘80s and it’s been modified a bit to the point where now the teacher requests are posted, directly for the public to see, along with an explanation of the benefit and approximate cost,” said Roger Cupp, president of the Mendon Community Schools Board of Education and head of the Mendon Schools Foundation.

The donations or financial contributions toward teacher wish-list items are administered through the foundation, a not-for-profit entity that ensures donations are tax-deductible.

Cupp said the foundation encourages instructors to keep the item they request at $500 or less. The teacher-request list, in its current format, is in its third year and has a history of being generously supported.

Brandon Wenzel, principal at Mendon Elementary School, said local businesses play a big role in helping fulfill requests. In other cases, he said, the requests are fulfilled by individuals and families.

“My in-laws have all decided to make a sizable donation at Christmas on behalf of the grandkids, other cases we hear are purchases made in memory of or in honor of someone, and a lot are done anonymously,” Wenzel said. “The level of support the school gets from the community is always amazing and this is one of those things where the community takes ownership of its school system.”

Examples of current teacher-request items range from various requests for field trips to tablet computers. Other items being sought include rolls of thermal-poster paper for a poster printers, 35 copies of “Tuesdays With Morrie” and its sequel, a digital camera, and 155 three-ring binders.

Cupp and Wenzel said all the items being sought have educational value and are requested with the idea the items would be nice to have.

“The schools aren’t going to close if we have unfulfilled requests, but we like the idea of the community having a chance to help out a teacher … maybe someone who had that teacher years ago and this is a way to say thanks,” Cupp said. “Some are a bit pricey and they would be a luxury, but with our budget, we just don’t have many of the luxuries some of the bigger districts have.”

In all, this year’s request list features 39 items that total about $18,000. Last year, all 29 requests that totaled about $13,000 were satisfied.

Page 2 of 2 - Fifth-grade teacher Brandi Klinger said she and her students have benefitted immensely from an Apple iPad purchased last year. The classroom gained a second iPad through Wenzel’s administrative budget.

Klinger said the apps she’s secured onto the iPads have played a crucial role in fostering math lessons.

“They’ve been huge additions to the classroom … they help the lower-standing students elevate their understanding of different concepts and they supplement and enhance material for the higher-end students,” Klinger said.

She said it’s sometimes difficult to find the words to thank the community for its support of the schools and the teacher-request list. Still, she wished to acknowledge the gift of the iPad last year.

“I was raised in Mendon, I went to school here and I wouldn’t want my kids to go anywhere else but Mendon,” she said. “The community support is just incredible.”

ON THE WEB: The 2012-13 teacher-request list may be found through a link to the Mendon Foundation at www.mendonschools.org.